The invention relates to a method for conversion with recovery of energy carriers in a cyclical process of a thermal engine in accordance with the preamble to claim 1.
The invention can be employed in energy technology, specifically for methods for conversion of internal energy of hydrocarbon fuels into mechanical work.
The known modern methods for thermal energy production, except for atomic, nuclear, nuclear fusion, solar and thermal energy, are based on a direct combustion of the energy carriers. That is, a complete oxidation of all the combustible fuel components is involved (see for example L. S. Stermann et al., “Wärme- und Atomkraftwerke” [Thermal and Nuclear Power Plants], M., Energoisdat, 1982). .
Despite their manifold nature, the drawbacks of these known methods have a common character and include the following:
It is not possible to process wastes having a water content of over 75%.
The theoretical efficiency of the best thermal power plants is at most 75%, and the effective efficiency is a maximum of 35%.
The exhaust gases emitted into the ambient air pollute the environment and globally impair life on Earth.
The non-renewable natural resources, such as fuel resources, are ineffectively utilized.
The biomasses of plants and the products of defecation of the human and animals are used only occasionally and ineffectively for generating energy.
From the prior art, a method for recovering the energy extracted in a thermochemical cyclical process and converting it into mechanical energy is known. By this method, a hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture (an energy carrier delivered to a motor) with a molar ratio of 3:1 is fed from a container into a reactor system. There, methane/water vapor mixture (working medium) occurs in the course of a catalytic reaction. It is fed into the work chamber of the motor. As a result of the mixture expansion, mechanical energy is generated. The spent methane/water vapor mixture flows into the cooling system of a gas-cooled high-temperature atomic reactor, which is located outside the motor. There, the methane/water vapor mixture converts into the original hydrogen and carbon oxide (see International Application WO 03/091549, Class F01K25/06, Nov. 6, 2003).
This method, in comparison to the known methods, leads to a considerable drop in fuel consumption, but has the following drawbacks:
To obtain the cyclical process course, a high-temperature thermal energy source must be present outside the motor.
The method can be performed only in stationary fashion and in the immediate vicinity of a high temperature energy source.
In this method, other types of raw materials containing carbon cannot be used.
Non-electrical vehicle motors cannot be supplied using this method.
The energy carrier (hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture) must be produced in a special facility.
From the prior art, a method for converting the energy liberated in an exothermal process into mechanical work is known. This method includes supplying a starting raw material to a first reactor (gas generator) and a cooperation of the raw material components in an exothermal process. This produces hydrogen and carbon oxide. They are fed into a reactor methanization system (a special case of a Fischer-Tropsch reactor). There, working medium is formed by means of a catalytic reaction. The working medium is a methan/steam mixture. As it expands, mechanical work is done in the motor. The spent working medium is fed into a second reactor for recovery and then returned to the first reactor. In the process, the starting raw material in the first reactor is exposed to an autothermal or thermal gasification with liberation of hydrogen and carbon oxide. The hydrogen and the carbon oxide are fed into the reactor methanization system of byproducts. The catalytic reaction between hydrogen and carbon oxide is carried out at a temperature of 600 K to 1400 K and at a pressure between 0.6 and 20 mPa (Russian Patent 2323351, Class F01K23/04, Apr. 27, 2008).
This method has the following drawbacks:
The gases and energy liberated in the reformation or gasification of the starting raw material in the gas generator go unused.
The plasma-chemical reforming or gasification is used only for processing water mixtures.
The methanization process, at a temperature of over 700 K, is difficult to perform with commercially available catalysts.
The temperature and pressure limitation between 600 K and 1400 K and 0.6-20 mPa significantly limits the results that can be achieved.
The closest prior art to the invention in its technical essence and the attainable effect is a method for conversion with a recovery of energy carriers in a cyclical process of a thermal engine. In this method, hydrocarbon fuel and oxygen are supplied to a gas generator. The fuel is gasified or converted under autothermal or thermal conditions, resulting in a hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture. The resultant hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture is transported into an apparatus for conversion of its kinetic and thermal energy into mechanical energy. After that, the hydrogen/carbon oxide mixture flows into a hydrogenation reactor. There, hydrocarbons and heat-generated waters are formed by a catalytic process. They are fed via an energy conversion device into a gas generator for conversion, and in such a way a first recirculation cycle is formed, specifically: gas generator-device for converting kinetic energy into mechanical energy-hydrogenation reactor-device for converting thermal and kinetic gas energy into mechanical energy-gas generator. The water is evaporated in a steam boiler heated by gasification and hydrogenation products and is fed into a device for steam energy conversion into mechanical energy, for instance into a turbine (Russian Patent 2386819, Class F01K23/04, Apr. 20, 2010).
This known technical provision successfully improves a number of ratings and overcomes the drawbacks intrinsic to the cyclical recovery process that have come to be recognized in practice with the implementation of the method.
However, the following drawbacks have been found:
Methane is not a target product of this technical energy system. Hence the use of the methanization system for the sake of carbon oxide recovery has the result that the self-consumption of energy because of the compression of the hot methane and steam mixture increases, and that the cost for equipment in this method increase.
The molar ratio of hydrogen to carbon oxide in the synthesis gas (product gas) is 3:1. This limits the usability of the method.
The obligatory use in terms of method technology of the plasma-chemical method is not always expedient, because it limits the usage of other gasification methods for starting raw materials.
The utilization of noble gases or mixtures thereof that is a precondition for the technical method reduces the efficiency of the gas generators and reactors for hydrogenating the carbon oxides.
It is the object of the invention to develop a method for conversion with a cyclical carbon oxide recovery in internal combustion engines and steam boiler systems, in which both extraction and processing can be done using hydrocarbon-containing raw materials, including gases, various mixtures of substances, and industrial and household wastes.
The technical effect is a simplification of the course of recovery of the carbon oxides that occur in thermal engines or steam boiler systems or in various technical processes.
This object is attained by the claimed features.